(West Des Moines, Iowa) – Children in 47 communities across Iowa will now be able to further develop their skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) thanks to a donation from the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation. As part of its Henry’s Heroes Program, the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation recently delivered 50 STEM carts to 50 public libraries across Iowa. Iowa Select Farms employees nominated their hometown libraries to receive the carts to empower kids to be future innovators, creators and leaders. (See the list of AREA libraries receiving STEM carts, below. Find the full list HERE.)

STEM carts include a variety of STEM toys and kits that encourage organic and structured play grounded in science, technology, engineering and math concepts. For older kids, STEM pairs academic concepts with real-world applications to make connections between school and careers. The 543 public libraries across Iowa serve as free, trusted and welcoming gathering places that support children, families and communities. Iowa consistently ranks in the top five states for its number of public libraries.

The list of area libraries that received STEM carts includes:

Adel Public Library, Adel
Early Public Library, Early
Mount Ayr Public Library, Mount Ayr
Murray Public Library, Murray
Orient Public Library, Orient
Schleswig Public Library, Schleswig